Needlefish on the inside passage?

[Haze]

Just tracking down info on baits, and I’m wondering what others have been noticing. I used to clean fish with lots of needlefish in them out of Campbell River but the last two years I haven’t got near as many fish with needles in them. What about everyone else, seeing many needlefish in the guts of your kills?
Are you fishing needlefish patterns much with success these days?

 

[Fish Assassin]

I have not seen needlefish in their guts in area 14 in a few years..Herring and krill..Yes......

 

[Haze]

I'd like to hear from more folks, I'm in area 13 and fish used to be jam packed full of them, but either my memory is going or I honestly don't think I've gotten fish with needles in them in the last while.

 

[Seafever]

Needlefish work good off Qualicum.....the half/glow, half neon green one in particular.
Also the solid neon green or fleurescent green (whatever you want to call it.).

 

[fishin_magician]

I've fished Needlefish quite a bit on the inside. Mainly June, July, August are the best times I find and it's important to "match the hatch". I"ve used them in Vancouver quite successfully as well. There's a time and place for everything as they say.

 

[Charter Tofino]

Needlefish pattern is my go to between qualicum and nanaimo but have never caught a spring with needlefish in it. The bait is generally small and likely represented better by the smaller bait.

 

[Haze]

The bait is generally small and likely represented better by the smaller bait.

yea I think that's why the sand lance patterns still work, as it closely imitates juvenile herring being thinner. Thanks for the feedback, was just looking at older logs and it was only a couple of years ago and I used to catch lots of fish with sand lance in their bellies. Not sure if it's the grey cod eating them all up or what the deal is. I was just checking to see if anyone else had noticed or if I'm just in the wrong spots at the right time.